


A Book By Any Name At All

by AsagiStilinski



Series: Pridecember 2018 [14]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Presents, Established Relationship, M/M, Pets, Reading, Yami Yuugi | Atem has his own body, ygopridecember2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-09-19 10:56:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17000244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AsagiStilinski/pseuds/AsagiStilinski
Summary: Atem finally comes up with the perfect Christmas gift for his boyfreind, there's just one little problem....He can't find it anywhere





	A Book By Any Name At All

**Author's Note:**

> Day 14 of Pridecember 2018- Book
> 
> I spent THREE. DAYS. looking for a good book to use for this, I looked on the internet, I looked in my house, searched my memories, and when I finally came up with one from my childhood to use, I can't find it anywhere and don't even remember what it was called
> 
> _*curls up in a ball and dies*_

" _Autumn passed and winter, and in the spring, when the days grew warm and sunny, the boy went out to play in the woods behind the house,_ "

Atem was reading

Seto could tell that much as he came down the hall

The problem was, he didn't know who Atem was reading _to_ , he knew the pharaoh well enough to know that he didn't just read out loud for his own pleasures, he must have been reading to someone, but he doubted it was Mokuba, so who...?

" _And about his little soft nose, and his round black eyes, there was something familiar,_ "

He stepped quietly around the corner, peering inside the bedroom and finding a ... well, honestly, he wasn't quite sure how to describe the bizarre little scene he had stumbled upon

Atem was sitting in bed, with a cat curled up on one side and a dog on the other, both animals staring up at him with what actually looked like interest in on their faces

....

Seto really wasn't sure what to make of it

" _But he never knew that it really was his own bunny, come back to look at the child who had first helped him to be Real,_ "

"Are you.... reading to the pets?"

In sequence, all three creatures turned their attention to look at the CEO

Something about this held true comedic value, Seto himself just didn't quite see it that way

"Yes, according to studies, children develop better when read to from a young age,"

...

There was just... so much to unpack from that single statement, it was hard to know where to start, but he'd take a shot anyway

"First of all, since when do you read _studies_?"

"Well... I've heard,"

Ah, the peices begin to come together

"Second of all, are you really comparing a cat and a dog to _children_?"

"I'm not _comparing_ them," the pharaoh replied with an eyeroll

"I'm calling them that,"

Yeah, that.... didn't make it better, in fact, it made things worse

"You know something? I'm not even going to address that," he said with a quiet sigh, taking a step closer and tilting his head

"Where did you find that book anyway?"

"Mokuba found it when we were looking for some wrapping papper, he said I should read it but I'm not sure why, it's quite sad,"

"You think so?"

"Well I suppose 'bittersweet' is really better put, but I prefer things that end a little happier,"

"I understand that," Seto nodded slowly, moving to sit on the edge of the bed as the cat got up to crawl into his lap instead

"The Velveteen Rabbit was Mokuba's favorite, you're holding a signed first edition, it was the first thing I bought for him when I took over Kaiba Corp,"

"Really?" Atem asked with slight surprise, earning a nod in response

"He treasured that thing for years, I guess he lost track of it when we had his room remodeled and his bookshelf redone,"

"So.... something like this would be considered a good gift?"

The CEO raised a brow, but shrugged anyway

"If it's a sentimental book for someone then yes, I suppose, why do you ask?"

"Just.. curious, that's all,"

 

~+~

 

Full disclosure, Atem had been much more than just curious

He was still desperately trying to come up with an idea of what to give Seto or their first Christmas together and so far he had been pretty dry on ideas

...

Until now, ofcourse

"Seto's favorite book growing up? Gee.... I'm not sure, he didn't really read alot of fiction when we were kids, it was mostly things like game strategies and factual stuff,"

Well, that was disappointing...

"But there was one book he really liked before we went to the orphanage, I remember him reading it to me at one point,"

Aha, perfect!

"What was it?" Atem asked excitedly

Unfortunately... Mokuba didn't seem nearly as thrilled

"I ... really don't remember, I remember what the cover looked like- sorta, it was hardcover, thin but tall, with a dust jacket, it was entirely black except for this little white fairy in the center... but, that's it, I don't remember a title or an author or even when it was published,"

Oh... well, that was disappointing, but Atem wasn't ready to give up just yet

"That's alright, can you tell me anything else at all? Perhaps the plot or a charector name or some detail?"

"I.... _think_ it was about fairies that tangle people's hair when they're asleep but... I could be wrong.... sorry Atem, it was a really long time ago,"

"It's alright, thank you for your assistance, I'm sure I can track it down regardless,"

 

~+~

 

Atem could not, in fact, track it down regardless

As it turns out, tracking down a book when you have absolutely no information at all except for a description of the cover and a vague idea of what it's about doesn't really work

Atem was _tired_ , ok?

Atem was _exhausted_

He searched in every nook and cranny he could think of, every store, every website, every search engine he could even remotely come up with, none of them helped, none of them even remotely resembled what Mokuba was describing, and unfortunately, though he had tried to suggest that perhaps the younger Kaiba was merely misremembering, Mokuba was insistent, and that was the only book that Seto apparently had any interest in

Regardless, he had been at this for several days and with no luck, he had tried everything imaginable, exhausted himself to the point of falling asleep at the computer several times

Seto didn't know what was going on with him, but he didn't like it, and he was starting to get strict about making sure that Aem went to bed at a decent hour

It was all culminating in quite a bit of hell, was the point

And by the time the 22nd came around, he was nearly out of ideas

He was willing to try almost anything at this point, wich meant that asking Yugi on the off chance that he may remember a book like the one he was searching for was his next best option, if that option failed....

Atem didn't know what he was going to do

"Oh... Atem, I'm so sorry.... I don't remember anything like that at all,"

Ofcourse not

"I wish I atleast had some sort of suggestion for you..."

"It's alright aibou, thank you for trying,"

"Ofcourse, I just wish I could help.... you're sure it was something to do with fairies that tangle hair?"

"That's what Mokuba said," Atem confirmed with a slow nod, rubbing his tired eyes and leaning back in his seat

"I've never even heard of a book like that... much less one like what you described," Yugi sighed, picking slightly at his food

"Wait a sec, hardback, black cover, a lil' white fairy in the center... I know that book,"

Of all the people in the world to know of the book Atem was referring, Joey was the last one he would have suspected

But he supposed that fed into the old human saying about judging a book by it's cover....

Ironic, huh?

"Are you serious Joey?" Yugi asked in pure, utter amazement, clearly as shocked as Atem was

"Yeah, I used to have it as a kid, no wonder ya' can't find a copy anywhere though, not only is it old an' rare, but it's also only in English, it was only ever printed in America, my grandparents gave me a copy when I was a kid 'cause they live there, my mom's American an' we used to go visit 'bout once a year, to be honest I was never the biggest fan of it... but I've still got it, was always gonna give it to my kids, but you're welcome to it if ya' want, ya' certainly ain't gonna find another copy 'fore Christmas, so it'll be goin' to a good home, good cause, all that,"

"You really don't mind?" Atem asked in amazement, his eyes wide, mouth slightly open

"'Course not! 'Specially if it's to help my favorite bud, go on an' take it, I'll find it after lunch, 'k?"

Finally, _finally_ , things seemed to be going in the right direction

"Yes," Atem breathed with releif

"Ok,"

 

~+~

 

Upon Christmas Eve arriving, Atem insisted that Seto opens his gift first, and by some miracle or stroke of luck, the CEO actually listened to him for once

And when he finally unwrapped it....

"The... Tangle Fairies...?"

"I do hope it's the correct book, Mokuba gave me a description and I tried my best to find it... is it correct?"

For a moment, Stiles was quiet, before finally nodding again

"I don't know how you found it....."

"I don't believe you _want_ to know," Atem huffed back quietly, taking note of the distant, emotional look in his partner's eyes

"Is.... something wrong?"

"No, this book just... reminds me of my mother, she used to read it to me, her hair was thick like Mokuba's, it would tangle easily, she used to tell us faeries were responsible for it..."

"Oh..." Atem breathed quietly, biting his lip

"It... sounds like a nice story, perhaps you'll read it to me sometime?"

"Yes," Seto agreed slowly, finally looking up from the book

"I think I will,"


End file.
